Pore's winner over Islanders voted Goal of the Year

October 21, 2010

Following a week-long vote at www.PortlandTimbers.com, fans have selected midfielder Ryan Pore’s game-winning goal against the Puerto Rico Islanders at PGE Park on Sept. 2, 2010, as the Timbers 2010 Goal of the Year.

Named by fans and supporters as the “Sunflower Goal,” Pore’s strike garnered 44 percent of the total vote and edged midfielder Kalif Alhassan’s long-distance chip – also against the Islanders – by just 23 votes.

Pore, the 2010 USSF Division-2 Pro League MVP and Goal-Scoring Champion, scored a key goal for the Timbers against Puerto Rico in the team’s regular-season home finale at PGE Park on Sept. 2, 2010. His goal was a memorable moment for fans and has since been chronicled as the “Sunflower Goal.” Pore’s game-winning header came late in the match and took place during the signing of the song “You Are My Sunshine” by the supporters and fans, which is a game-day tradition at PGE Park. On this occasion, members of the Timbers Army brought hundreds of sunflowers to the club’s final home match at PGE Park as a second-division club. With supporters in chant with flowers held high, Pore headed in his 15th goal of the season to give the Timbers a 1-0 win.

The Timbers scored many memorable goals during the 2010 season. Game-winning strikes, creative build-ups and excellent finishes – the Timbers had them all. The field of five 2010 Timbers Goal of the Year candidates was based upon recommendations from fans and staff.

The other finalists included Alhassan’s chip on the road Sept. 18, Rodrigo Lopez’s free-kick goal against Boca Juniors at PGE Park, defender Mamadou Danso’s game-winner over Vancouver on the road and forward Bright Dike’s rocket into the top corner against Baltimore on Sept. 25.

2010 Timbers Goal of the Year Finalists:

Rodrigo Lopez vs. Boca Juniors on May 29 – It may have been an exhibition match, but the win over Boca Juniors snapped a five-game winless stretch for the Timbers in the month of May. Lopez, who came on as a second-half sub, provided an instant spark for the Timbers offense against the Argentine giants, assisting the game-tying goal at 2-2. On a free kick in second-half stoppage time, Lopez found the go-ahead goal to lift the Timbers to a 3-2 victory at PGE Park.

Futty Danso @ Vancouver on July 22 – During the 2010 season the Timbers had some key wins, but perhaps one of historical proportions was a 2-1 win July 22. In 10 seasons as a member of the United Soccer Leagues/USSF D-2 Pro League, the Timbers had just one win against the Whitecaps in Vancouver until that summer night this past season, when Danso rifled home the game-winner following a scramble inside the box. That 2-1 victory ended an 11-game winless run in B.C. and secured the 2010 Cascadia Cup.

Bright Dike vs. Baltimore on Aug. 29 – One of his multiple-goal performances during his rookie campaign, Dike helped seal a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace Baltimore with a brace at PGE Park. After a receiving a pass from midfield from Johan Claesson, Dike handled the rest and hammered a shot from the top of the box past goalkeeper Evan Bush into the top left corner, giving the Timbers a two-goal lead before the break. The win was part of a season-long, 10-game unbeaten streak to end the regular-season.

Kalif Alhassan @ Puerto Rico on Sept. 18 – A game-winning goal in second-half stoppage time by Alhassan lifted the Timbers to a 1-0 victory over the Puerto Rico Islanders on the road. Rodrigo Lopez found Alhassan, making his first start of the season since joining the Timbers in late August, down the right wing 25 yards out from goal. Alhassan spotted Puerto Rico goalkeeper Bill Gaudette off his line and he chipped the ball over Gaudette and tucked it inside the far side of the goal for the game-winning strike. Broadcaster John Strong called it the best goal he had seen from a member of the Timbers.